Controlled optical component systems include an optical component, such as a mirror, that is controlled by an actuator. The actuator may be an electrostrictive actuator, which may include a dielectric that changes its shape under application of an applied electric field. A common form of electrostrictive actuator is a piezoelectric actuator. In some applications, the electrostrictive actuator may take the form of a piezoelectric stack actuator (“PZT”), which is a stack of individual piezoelectric actuators. The purpose of the stack is to magnify the displacement effect of the individual piezoelectric actuator in response to the applied electric field. The mirror may be bonded to the end of the PZT so that it moves when the PZT is actuated.
Such optical component systems may comprise the only moving part of a laser, such as a Frequency Addition Source of Optical Radiation (FASOR) sodium guidestar laser. The optical component systems are used to actively control the laser cavity dimensions.
A problem inherent in such controlled optical component systems is that, in the event of a laser system malfunction, it is necessary to completely dismantle the controlled optical component system in order to determine the cause of the malfunction. Accordingly, there is a need for a self-monitoring controlled optical component system that provides an indication of the nature of a malfunction without need of dissembling the controlled optical component system, or removing the controlled optical component from the system, such as a laser, in which it is mounted.